Chapter 5 Collateral and Calculus

The tension in the apartment was so thick, it felt like a separate inhabitant. Nafisa did not allow herself to think of the lines on the test strip anymore. That data point was logged, the risk quantified, and the problem transitioned into the Execution Phase. She now approached her crisis not as a heartbroken woman, but as a CEO finalizing a hostile takeover strategy. Her target: Eduardo, the architect of the Herrera empire.

Her first task was to finalize the intelligence. The night before, Nafisa and Isabel had spread out their evidence on the kitchen table. Isa, the brilliant accounting major, had pinpointed Eduardo's Achilles' heel.

"The club's internal ethics code is brutal on fraud, Nafisa," Isa explained, tapping a screen displaying a Spanish legal statute. "Specifically, manipulation of security records to cover up a personal indiscretion. Your key card, and the proof that Eduardo used the night guard as a scapegoat, makes him personally liable for a felony. This isn't just a scandal for Diego; it's a career-ender for Eduardo. That's your leverage, that's what makes the contract non-negotiable."

Armed with this knowledge, Nafisa felt a cold, sharp resolve. She would target Eduardo's self-preservation, not Diego's conscience.

Her plan to initiate contact was simple and high-risk. She would not risk an email; digital trails were too easily traced. She would use the power of the unseen note, forcing Eduardo to meet her on her terms.

One Tuesday morning, Nafisa positioned herself strategically in the stairwell near the fifth floor soundproof room. Her heart hammered against her ribs, but her movements were smooth and practiced. She wore her standard cleaning uniform, which, ironically, rendered her invisible in the administrative wing.

Eduardo arrived precisely at 9:15 AM, his phone pressed to his ear, his face tight with concentration. He slipped into the room and the heavy door snicked shut.

Nafisa moved instantly. She slipped into the small, unused reception area just outside the meeting room, a spot shielded from the main hall cameras. She had prepared a note written on a plain sheet of printer paper, folded into a crisp square. The text was brief, clean, and utterly professional:

> To: Mr. Eduardo

> Subject: Non-Disclosure Agreement – Herrera Brand Liability

> I require a private meeting to discuss proprietary risk mitigation. I have information pertaining to the matter you recently resolved with the night guard. My fee for permanent silence is non-negotiable. I have collateral.

> Your security is compromised. The meeting must be alone, off-site, and within 48 hours.

> Master Access: E-19 (The exact code from the key card)

>

She deliberately included the code. It was the digital fingerprint proving she knew his world and his crime.

With a deep breath, Nafisa slid the note under the door. The paper vanished into the soundproof space. Then, with the stealth of a cat, she was gone, back down the stairwell to the safety of the ground floor.

She didn't dare look back. The fuse was lit.

As she resumed her dusting duties in the main lobby, Nafisa felt a strange mixture of dread and triumph. She had taken control of her disaster. She was no longer running from the consequence; she was dictating the terms of its resolution.

She knew the meeting, when it happened, would be the most terrifying negotiation of her life. But she had the collateral, the calculated numbers that Isa had helped refine, and a baby relying on her to win. Her parents, busy running their store in Kaduna, were expecting their daughter to return home with a degree and an ethical path to success. Nafisa knew this contract was the only way to meet those expectations now. She was ready to be the anchor the child needed.